Breathless
by NobleBrokenBeauty
Summary: What if Mai had been the one to help Naru back to his bedroom after he had been possessed? MaiNaru. Twoshot.
1. Caring

**A/N: Two-shot, during volume nine. Implied MaiNaru, AyakoTakigawa if you squint. No owning of anything. Please review and tell me what you thought!**

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"Sorry, but I'm just going to lie down for a while."

Mai leapt up from the monitors, almost losing her balance. Just before Ayako had the chance to speak, she called perkily, "I'll help you there!"

Takigawa snickered and nodded once approvingly, smirking in her direction. "Now you get it," he muttered under his breath just so Mai could hear, earning himself a well-aimed scowl. He sat down at the monitors Mai had been watching and let the teens walk out of the room.

Mai almost had to jog to keep up with Naru's quick pace back to his room. He seemed to not notice she had even accompanied him, but yearning the attention she asked, "Why didn't you run or duck earlier?"

"Hn?" She hated those short, muttered responses of his. Mai could easily see he had heard exactly what she had said and knew exactly what she had meant. He was supposed to be the smart one, wasn't he?

"The-the fox spirit. Why didn't you try and avoid it?" Mai pressed on, looking up eagerly at Naru. He avoided her gaze with ease and placed his thumb and forefinger to either side of the bridge of his nose.

"I believe that is none of your business."

Mai narrowed her eyes, unwilling to give up. "If you had been hurt, it certainly would have been my business."

"But I didn't, did I?"

"Why didn't you try to avoid it?" Mai demanded more heatedly, ready for the angered retort. Naru merely sighed.

"You really want to know?" he asked, watching her with an ice blue stare. Mai, unperturbed, nodded eagerly. This she hadn't been expecting.

"Fine, I… Mai." Naru froze in his tracks, eyes wide. Mai still walked forward until she had noticed Naru was a good meter and a half behind her. She turned, cocking her head ever so slightly in confusion.

"Naru?"

"Leave. Now."

Mai blinked once, staring at him unbelievingly.

"But—wait, Naru…?"

He gave her no time to question his demands.

"Go back to the base. Run, go get Lin. Mai, just do it!"

"Naru, are you okay…?" Not listening, Mai approached Naru again, who took a forceful, shaky step backwards.

"Don't come near me."

Mai bit the inside of her lip, her heart pounding ferociously. What was going on? Naru's attitude normally hurt less and his tone had never been so scary. No, foreboding was a better word. She managed to swallow the growing lump in her throat and continue to talk.

"Naru, what's wrong? Tell me!"

She hadn't expected this much frustration to come with a walk to his room. Stepping toward him, barely a fourth of a meter away, she glared at him in a way to show she was serious. Mai stood her ground, but could easily sense something was not right here.

"You're in my way."

His harsh voice surprised her. She had never heard him speak this way before, so cold and so vile. Startled into a stupor, Mai didn't notice Naru's arms rising to reach her neck. His hands locked tightly around her neck, and giving a last gasp, felt the painful reality of this situation.

Blinking furiously, fighting against the literal death grip of Naru's, Mai saw no way out. The words and screams of desperation would not escape her lips, and no one was around to see her struggling with Naru for her life. Strangled sounds managed to reach her ears, but her world was beginning to grow hazy.

His hands constricted even more and Mai felt herself lashing out at him, tears staining her cheeks and coloring her eyes bloodshot. His face showed no emotion, as if that was a surprise, and he seemed to not care that he was killing his own assistant.

Mai found it harder to move, more difficult to get air to her lungs, trickier to even keep her eyes open. Her breath was shortening and quickly, she knew – she was losing this battle. If she could not free herself soon, she knew it would be too late.

Only a single word rang like a bullet through her mind as her own grip began to loosen on Naru's arms, uselessly trying to pry herself away from him. Why?

Noises echoed all around her and all pressure on her neck was suddenly released. She and Naru both fell to the ground and she could hear herself coughing brutally. Strong arms held onto her trembling shoulders and two concerned voices called out, "Mai? Mai?"

The world spun as Takigawa gently lifted her to her feet.

"Mai, are you okay? Come on, say something," Ayako pleaded furiously.

"Why… did he…?" Mai looked at Naru's limp form with traces of anxiety buried deep in her eyes.

"It wasn't Naru, Mai," Takigawa was quick to say, then continued explaining, "The fox spirit didn't merely go through him like we thought. It's possessed Naru."

Though relieved that Naru did not attempt to strangle her on his own accord, Mai could not help but feel wary. While walking back to base with the support of Ayako and Takigawa, she shot a glance sideways at Naru, still out cold.

She couldn't help but shudder.

"Mai…? Mai, come on." Ayako tugged on her sleeve brusquely, urging her back to the base.

"Ah, no, I think I'll wait a little longer. I'm fine," Mai said in reassurance as both the monk and miko sent her matching reproachful looks. Holding in her laughter, she shooed them on ahead.

Mai lingered by the room Lin had placed Naru in. Subconsciously, her hand had risen to the light bruises on her neck, tracing the still-tingling fingerprints. Just moments ago she could have died at the hands of her own boss, the one she thought she loved.

She still could see that blank, merciless stare in his eyes.

She still heard his rasping, heavy breaths while she had struggled.

She could still feel his hands on her neck.

As Lin turned around, she dropped her hand from the bruises and stood attentively at the doorway. He walked towards the exit and Mai stepped aside to let him through. No matter how hard Mai tried to feel hatred for her boss, tried to remember the vengeance she should have held, she knew that she not go very far without him.

"Don't let me down now, Naru."

Just when she had thought he left for base to get Takigawa and Ayako, Mai felt a hand rest upon her shoulder lightly. She turned to see Lin next to her, cautiously tracing her gaze back to Naru.

"You care too much, Taniyama-san."

Mai took the slight smile on his face and the softer tone in his words as a compliment.

**A/N: So, did you like it? There's only one way to tell me, so go ahead and click the review button... come on, you know you want to!**


	2. Caught Off Guard

**A/N: No owning. That's all I gotta say here.**

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It had been a little awkward between the two since Naru had awoken again.

Okay, so it had been _really _awkward between the two. It was only expected.

Mai didn't feel a grudge against him. She really didn't. She knew that whatever had tried to hurt her had not been Naru and had been purified by Ayako. It was gone. It would not return.

But she still found herself clinging to the company of the others before she and Naru were left one on one, her subconscious fearing the worst for her.

Only once had Mai acted too late.

It was one instance they were left alone. After Ayako's only successful exorcism and before they left for the shrine, Mai found herself on her own with the grumpy Naru, unable to do anything about it. They sat in opposite corners of the room; Mai watching the monitors, Naru immersed in the files.

Normally, it wouldn't have been an uncomfortable situation. Mai would have just gone on daydreaming and Naru would have just gone on ignoring her if it wasn't for the fact that their minds were both heavily at work trying to figure the other out.

_Why doesn't that jerk just say something? He hasn't even apologized!_

_Does Mai honestly expect me to say sorry? She knows I won't because in no way was this my fault. I told her to leave and she didn't listen._

_He's too caught up in those damn files to even ask how I am! I know it's been over a year, but why did I ever agree to work for this idiot workaholic?_

_She's clueless._

Sighing, Naru called out, "Mai, come here."

Mai snapped her gaze off the monitors to transfix it on Naru.

"Huh?"

"Come. Here," he said again, not turning to look at her.

"Well, I – I mean – I don't really—"

Naru cut her off. "I don't pay you to babble, Mai, just get over here."

Mai jumped up from the monitors and skittered over to when Naru was sitting. He stood as well and suddenly she felt vulnerability eating away at her stomach. Upon pure instinct, she hastened backward to which Naru responded. Looking at the ground, she didn't see the flash of regret pass over his eyes momentarily.

"Mai, I wanted to talk to you. About…"

His gaze fell to the lingering bruises.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. The – the bruises have almost healed and nothing was wrong with my neck. I haven't been feeling lightheaded or any—"

His sharp sigh silenced her. "No, Mai. That isn't what I meant. Are _you_ feeling okay?"

"Oh." She fell silent, daring a glance at her boss. He was really asking about her, not her health. Gathering up any courage that had not fled her yet, Mai spoke softly, "You scared me then, Naru. You really… made me think you wanted to kill me."

Naru continued to stare directly into her eyes, only listening. He showed nothing of his thoughts. Mai could not find anywhere else to look but into those mesmerizing eyes, which forced her mouth to keep moving and would not let her mind keep any secrets in.

"I thought I was going to die, Naru, I really did. But that wasn't what hurt me. Because you were the one who…"

She fell silent as Naru raised his hand to caress her neck, gently tracing the imprints of his own fingers. "I tried to make you leave."

"That's how you always act, Naru. Do you think I'd listen to you then if I don't listen to you normally?" Mai smiled slightly and gave a short laugh.

"You underestimate yourself, Mai."

"You underestimate us all, Naru, ordering us this way and that. I thought you just didn't want me there." Mai tilted her head back ever so slightly to gaze at him more directly. She had still not pulled away from Naru's gentle touch.

His voice softened a bit and he muttered into her ear, "I have my reasons. You see the one for my being so candid a few days ago, now, don't you?"

Mai scrunched her nose in defeat, but nodded sheepishly. "Why didn't you just tell me you didn't want to hurt me?"

"Would you have listened?"

"That's not fair. You're using my own words against me," Mai muttered bluntly.

"As do you," he countered.

"But even still… why did you not run? Still too proud to save even yourself?" Mai ventured daringly. Naru's fingers slipped from the bruises on her neck.

"I…" Naru stepped closer, never unlocking that hypnotic gaze. "I have my reasons," he finished quietly, firmly, as if that resolved it all. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You keep avoiding my questions."

This time, Naru did not respond. Mai gave a snort of laughter. "Why not let yourself go for once, Naru? What are you so afraid of that makes you this way?"

His eyes turned from sullen blue to polar ice blue in a matter of seconds so fast that Mai's fears again kicked in. She stepped backwards, arms raised slightly in a makeshift protection. This time, Mai saw the remorse pass over Naru's serious façade.

"Is this what you're afraid of now? That I'll become a monster again?" His tone was lighter now, if not slightly comforting.

Mai slowly lowered her arms, slightly ashamed she had reacted that much to a simple glare. It _was_ Naru anyways.

"That wasn't me, Mai," he said. Mai had only just noticed how close he was to her again. "You should understand that, no matter how dense you act."

How her scowl and blush together was amusing to Naru, she'd never know. He simply showed her one of his rare, true smiles for a few fleeting moments, then inches away from her lips, his hot breath on her face, her blush deepening to a crimson…

He turned swiftly away, catching Mai off guard.

She stood in the center of the room alone, wide-eyed, jaw hanging slack. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. Naru had already snapped back into work mode, as if nothing between them had ever happened.

Again, he had left her breathless. But this time, he left her aching for more.

Outside, the members of SPR all groaned, each placing five thousand yen into Masako's kimono-sleeved hand. She simply giggled behind her other sleeve and glided back into the room.

Takigawa muttered bitterly under his breath, "Damn it. I could have sworn he was going to kiss her."

Ayako turned her head to the monk, throwing a smirk his way. "Didn't we all?"

Before the rest of the team could enter base again, a surprised little shriek came from inside. Just as fast as she had entered, Masako came flying out of the room, pale cheeks on fire. Yasuhara peeked inside and pulled his head out, smirking.

"I want my five thousand yen back, Masako-san!"

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**A/N: Complete. Did you like or not? Well, you know how to tell me… **


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